Chapter Ten
Kevin got pats on the back as he came back after being on sick leave. Uniforms welcomed him back as he exited the elevator and it was clear to him that not everyone knew what had gone on yesterday. It had been a Sunday and most likely the uniforms who were on the skeleton crew had today off. He sat down at his desk and booted up his computer. He let out a sigh before going into the break room to get a coffee. Two more detectives, Jenson and Karpowski were there. "Welcome back, Ryan," Karpowski said.
"Oh, thanks, Karpowski," Ryan said filling up his mug.
"How's the shoulder?" Jenson asked.
"Sore, but still in one piece," he said. He left the break room and headed back to his desk. He stopped seeing a stack of folders that wasn't there when he left.
"Welcome back, Ryan," Beckett said from her desk. "Need you to find Michael Kent for me," she said.
"What are the folders?" he asked.
"Every place that he had stayed before he got the apartment," she said. "See who's paying for the apartment too," she added. "With no job, he's got no means to even keep that apartment."
"Right," he said sitting down. Taking a sip of his coffee, he sat down and opened the first folder. He picked up his phone and dialed the first of many numbers he would be calling.
Three hours later …...
"No, Michael Kent!" Kevin shouted getting Esposito and Beckett's attention from her desk. "M-I-C-H-A-E-L. Michael! Yes, Ma'am. Our records indicate that he lived in your boarding house until he got his apartment in Queens. Yes, Ma'am, Michael Kent." Kevin sighed at the little old lady on the other end of the phone.
"How's it going?" Esposito asked and Kevin covered the mouth piece of the phone.
"I got a hold of the land lady who's boarding house Kent stayed at before he got the apartment. Apparently he had planned to stay at the boarding house because the rent was so cheap. She's looking to see if he's checked in or visited some other people in the house. What surprised her is that he moved out into the expensive apartment loft in Queens."
"Maybe he wanted privacy. You don't get that in a boarding house," Beckett said.
"Well, according to this, he got his apartment two weeks before I was shot," Ryan said, "and the place came fully furnished."
"And you have no idea where he got the money?" Becket asked, but Ryan held up a finger as he went back on the phone.
"Yes, Ma'am, thank you," he said before hanging up. "The boarding house lady, Mrs. Hill said that Michael came to her with the last of his bill and said he got lucky and got an apartment. She said he had a bag with him he had never seen. When she asked him about it, he just shrugged his shoulders, but when he turned to leave, she saw money sticking out of the bag."
"So he won the lottery," Esposito said.
"Yeah, but we found no lottery ticket framed at the loft. If you won the lottery, you'd frame the ticket," Castle said.
"Has he been in since we've been at the apartment?" Beckett asked.
"She saw him last night and he was looking a bit nervous," Ryan said.
"She ask him about what?"
"His super told him that the cops were looking for him about witnessing a crime," Kevin said.
"Well, he knows we were there and saw the shrine to Alexis and all the incriminating evidence against him," Esposito said. He glanced over and saw Alexis walking down the hall. "Speak of the devil," he said. Behind her were her security detail which Castle fought very hard for her to have.
"Hey," Ryan snapped before getting up as Alexis walked up to him. All activity stopped when she planted a big wet one on him and then turned to Beckett.
"Okay if I steal him for lunch?" she asked.
"Go right ahead," Beckett said and Alexis pulled Kevin to the elevator with uniforms staring after them.
"That was one heck of a kiss you gave me back there," Ryan said as soon as the elevator doors closed.
"I didn't hear you complaining," she said and he chuckled.
"No, I'm not complaining, but next time warn a guy." She chuckled before pulling him out of the building for lunch.
Across the street, a camera with a long range lens peeks out of the driver's side window and takes photos of Alexis and Kevin as they exited the station. The windows are tinted and no one can see the driver.
Karpowski walked up to Castle and stood in front of him. "Yes, Karpowski?" he asked.
"Since when has Ryan dated your daughter?" she asked.
"Since three years ago," he answered.
"Three years?" she asked. "And you're okay with it?"
"Slowing coming to a reality about it," Castle said. "He has been a complete gentleman to her through out the entire relationship. There is no need break out the guns."
"Except the relationship started when she was seventeen," Beckett said from her desk.
"What?" Karpowski asked.
"IA has cleared him of anything, so don't get out the pitchforks," Castle said. "In the meantime, we have a real problem for my daughter's safety running around New York City. Can we focus on finding her stalker instead of gossiping about Ryan and Alexis?"
"Can we start a pool?"
"On what?" Beckett asked.
"Well, three years is a long time for a couple to date. I mean, it's getting around the time he could be thinking about proposing to her."
"Whoa!" Castle shouted. "Alexis and Kevin getting married is on hold until she graduates," he said.
"Doesn't mean he can't propose to her," Beckett said.
"And you can't be in the pool because you'll get a heads up when he comes and asks for your blessing," Karpowski said getting out an envelope.
"What makes you think he'll ask for my blessing?" he asked.
"It's Ryan," Beckett said. "He went up and talked with Jenny's parents, remember?"
"Oh, yeah," he muttered before looking up to see Alexis and Kevin were back from lunch. "Hey, you two," he said as Karpowski hid the envelope behind her back. "How was lunch?"
"Great, as usual," Alexis said. "I did find out Kevin cooks," she said. "He will be cooking for me tonight instead of taking me out."
"Well, I think I did a pretty good job hiding that I cook."
"What tipped her off?" Beckett asked.
"She said she wanted to do something different tonight, so I confessed my culinary abilities."
"Now he's cooking for me every night for three years as punishment," Alexis said causing Castle to laugh.
"Well, try not to poison her tonight," he said.
"Hey I'm not that bad of a cook," Ryan said.
"I trust you completely, Kevin," she said before pecking his lips causing Castle to smile. She smiled back at him before giving him a kiss too. "I'll see you tonight then," she said to Kevin who nodded and she headed back to the elevator. Ryan sighed out before looking back at Beckett to see her and Karpowski smiling.
"What?" he asked.
"You're so in love," Karpowski said with a smile causing him to blush a light pink.
"Get back to work, Ryan," Beckett said.
"Yes, Ma'am," Ryan said.
Later that night …...
Ryan whistled joyfully as he sprinkled salt into his Italian dish. Alexis always liked Italian, so he decided to cook her some Chicken Parmesan. He was just putting the final touches on it when there was a knock on his door. Wiping his hands off, he hurried over and opened it for a smiling Alexis. "Hey, sweetie," he said as she walked in. He glanced down the hall to wave to her detail before closing the door. "Hope you're not giving your security detail a hard time," he said.
"No, they're just doing their jobs." He took her coat and hung it up. "So, what's for dinner?"
"Chicken Parmesan," he said. She lit up at the prospect of trying some Italian of Kevin's.
"Oh, can't wait to try it," she said as he led her to the table.
"You will not be disappointed," he said lighting the candles. He hurried to the kitchen and he picked up the Italian dish. He brought it over to the table and Alexis was in awe.
"Oh, that looks delicious," she said. She inhaled deeply and moaned in delight. "Smells good too," she added. "I think I'm in love with you all over again Detective Ryan," she said causing him to laugh.
Dinner was excellent and went one without any interruptions. She helped him clean up before they sat down on the couch to discuss the last couple of days. "So, this weekend was a really busy weekend," he said.
"It was," she said. "I hope Beckett and them find Kent soon," she added. "I'll feel safer when he's behind bars."
"I will keep you safe, Alexis," he said.
"I know you will," she said before they kissed. It was turning into a full make out session when Kevin's phone rang. Alexis moaned her disappointment as Kevin reached into his pocket for the offending object.
"Ryan," he said. He sat there quietly as he listened. "Okay, thanks Esposito," he said before hanging up. "Good news," he said. "You don't have to be scared anymore. Esposito and Beckett found Kent," he said. "In the morgue." It just caused Alexis to get a confused look on her face.